publication of truth, alfo, is often the occafion of uneafinefs to the publisher. Men blinded by prejudice, guided by worldly intereft, and ftimulated by paffion, too often treat their best friends as their enemies; for telling them the truth. A Paul was obliged, Gall iv. xvi,` thus, to exclaim, "Am I therefore become your enemy, because I "tell you the truth."

In particular, the writing of the things contained in that little book or roll, which John stored up in his mind, fhould draw much odium upon his memory; and lead many to call in queftion his inspiration, rather than admit the truth of prophecies, which draw their true character in those deformed features, which fo exactly agree to the life. And he, who, having with pleasure to himfelf studied and digested them, fhall be fo honeft, fo bold, and fo friendly as to explain in clear and unequivocal terms, their true meaning, must draw upon himself much odium and misrepresentation from thofe, who are painted in certain colours in this book. Though, with the benevolence of a Chriftian, he should tell them the truth from the beft motives, and fhould pray as well as write for their best intereft; mifled by prejudice; worldly intereft or paffion, they would treat him as an enemy. They would thus afford him another opportunity of imitating the mafter whom he ferves, who when reviled, reviled not again, and who

VOL. I..

Y y

Payed

prayed for his unprovoked and relentless foes, "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do." But none of these confiderations must hinder John from prophecying, nor his commentators from explaining unpalatable truths. For Chrift, notwithstanding that bitterness, commands him to prophecy again.

Verse 11th. And he faid unto me, thou must prophecy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.

In the preceding part of this book, John had prophecied before one great people only; the Romans. They were the masters of the then known world. At least, the Roman empire was the only monarchy, known in prophecy, at that time, existing in the world. It was the fourth beaft in Daniel's prophecy. But, in the periods to which the following parts of this book relate, the ftate of the world fhould be very different. It was not to confift of one univerfal empire, like the antient Roman; called in this book the earth; nor, was it like the firft incurfions of the barbarous nations, to be in fo unfettled and fluctuating a ftate, as to be denominated the fea. But it fhould confift of many diftinct and established nations and kingdoms independent of each other;

whofe

whose inhabitants fhould speak different languages.

This ftate of the world, in this period of its hiftory, was predicted by Daniel, in that short sketch which he drew of this book, Dan. vii. 24, "And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten

kings that shall arife." These many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings, did in fact arise at the time the laft head of Roman government, the papal, took for its feat, the ancient city of Rome. Europe hath ever fince that day, been divided; and still is divided into many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings. Their languages, and the conftitutions of their governments are as different, as the defcriptions of them in this verse are. The form of government of fome of them is republican, ftiled peoples; of fome monarchical, ftiled kings; and of others mixed, stiled nations; and the languages which they speak, differ more from one another than their forms of government do. To all thefe modern European kingdoms, the predictions in the following part of the book, relate in certain-refpects, as fhall appear as we proceed, fo that, on this account, John is faid to prophecy before them.

CHAP.

CHAP. XI.

Verses, 1ft, 2d,

VISION V.

A

ND there was given me

a reed like unto a rod; and the angel stood, faying, Rife, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. But the court which is without the temple, leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.

This chapter, by the symbols of measuring the temple, of the two witneffes prophecying in fackcloth 1260 days, of the Gentiles treading the holy city under their feet 42 months; of the beast ascending out of the bottomlefs pit, making war with the two witneffes, and of the opening of the temple of God in heaven, presents us with a very comprehenfive view of the fituation of Christ's church, for the space of 1243 years.

The temple was the ftated place of public worship

among

among the Jews.---Jerufalem, the city in which this temple ftood, and to which the tribes of Ifrael went up three times in the year, to worship God at their great feasts, was therefore ftiled the holy or confecrated city. Hence, in the symbolical language the temple fignifies the true church of God, and Jerufalem or the holy city, the external and even civil privileges, which are fometimes connected with it; but of which it may be deprived without any effential hurt being done to its real nature.

By John's measuring the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein, whilft he is commanded to leave out the court that is without the temple, it is predicted that, during the period of the 42 months mentioned in these verses, God fhall have a church and true worshippers in the world; and though with them, the effentials of religion shall be found, they fhall appear outwardly small and mean, when compared with the extent and grandeur of a certain church, which fhall arise, in the world, at the commencement of that period, and fhall continue to the end of it.

In the inner court of the temple, itood the altar of burnt offering, in that court, the priests offered facrifice, and the Levites performed their offices. The next court was the court of Ifrael, into which every Ifraelite who was purified, had a right of admiffion, and none except Ifraelites could be admitted. And the outer court was the court of

the